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Stunning images of the TRAPPIST-1 star system

As you can recall, the discovery of TRAPPIST-1 system was made using Spitzer Space Telescope in combination with ground-based telescopes. Curious about the TRAPPIST system, Kepler spacecraft was made to collect data on the star’s minuscule changes in brightness due to transiting planets, so as to refine the previous measurements of six planets, and know the orbital period & mass of the seventh planet. (By late May, the routine processing of the data will be completed and the fully calibrated data will be made available at the public archive)

The observation period for the Kepler spacecraft was 74 days, also known as the K2 Campaign 12. This is the longest, nearly continuous set of observations of TRAPPIST-1 yet, and provides researchers with an opportunity to further study the gravitational interaction between the seven planets, and search for planets that may remain undiscovered in the system.